Almost a year ago, I knit up this sweater for my guy, but only recently did I finally manage to take a picture of him in it.

Pattern:
Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits Summer 2006.

Materials:
Cascade 220 in charcoal grey (4002). Coats & Clark 26 inch separating Sport Zipper.

Tools:
Size 9 (5.5 mm) Denise knitting needles. Size G (4.25 mm) Boye aluminum crochet hook (for crochet edgings).

Modifications:
For the shoulder shaping, I worked short rows instead of binding off in steps. Then I was able to do a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulder seams instead of sewing them together.

On the sleeves, I had to make some adjustments for the fact that my row gauge was different from the pattern.

Finally, I made the collar about 2½ inches tall instead of 3¾ inches.

Notes:
Initially, I was very leary that the single-crochet trim would not be enough to keep the stockinette-stitch edges from curling. In the end, I just trusted the design and was pleased to find that it hasn't really been a problem. Occasionally, the bottom edge at the center back (the longest stretch of uninterrupted stockinette stitch) flips up slightly, but it flattens right down after the next wash.

Since my guy wears this sweater almost everyday, it's starting to wear out. Over the last few months, I've had to replace the crochet trim on one cuff and darn holes in both elbows. Looks like it's about time to start knitting him a new sweater.

When I starting making the first of several Garterlac Dishcloths, I came up with a method of casting on which works really well for entrelac. It's a crochet cast-on worked directly onto the knitting needle with an extra chain between each stitch. This produces a cast-on edge which is neat and firm, yet the stitches are spaced as though they'd been cast on very loosely.

Here's how it's done:

1. Leaving a short tail (long enough to be woven in later), tie a slip knot and place it on a crochet hook which is approximately the same millimeter size as your knitting needles.
2. Hold the crochet hook in your right hand and a knitting needle as well as the working yarn in your left hand (Continental knitting style).
3. Take the yarn behind the knitting needle, bring the crochet hook in front of the knitting needle, and pull a loop through the loop on the hook -- one stitch cast onto the needle.

4. With the yarn still in front of the knitting needle, pull a loop through the loop now on the hook -- one extra chain made.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have cast on one less than the total number of stitches needed (ending with step 4).
6. Leave the yarn in front of the needle or bring it behind the needle as needed for your first stitch and then slip the last loop from the hook to the knitting needle.

Although I've only used this cast-on for entrelac so far, I would imagine that it would also work well for ripple stitch patterns or for any situation where the cast-on edge needs to be much longer than normal given the number of stitches involved.

As I was knitting the body of the Cambridge Jacket, I noticed that although my stitch gauge matched the pattern, my row gauge was larger. After a little calculating, I realized that my sleeves would end up too long if I didn't make adjustments in the sleeve shaping.

Here's how I figured out the sleeve length for my row gauge if I followed the pattern as written:

• The sleeve begins with a cuff of 1.5 inches.
• The shaping starts with an increase row which is repeated every 6th row 4 more times -- 1 + (6 x 4) = 25 rows.
• Then the increase rows are worked every 4th row 20 times -- 4 x 20 = 80 rows.
• 105 total shaping rows divided by my row gauge of 6 rows per inch equals 17.5 inches -- (25 + 80) ÷ 6 = 17.5 inches.
• A cuff of 1.5 inches plus 17.5 inches of shaping equals a sleeve which is 19 inches from wrist to underarm -- an inch too long!

And here's how I adjusted the sleeve shaping to reach the length I wanted at the row gauge I was getting:

• First I subtracted the 1.5 inch cuff length from the 18 inch sleeve length I wanted, leaving me 16.5 inches over which to work my increases.
• Next I multiplied 16.5 by my row gauge of 6 stitches per inch converting this into 99 rows over which to work my increases.
• Since my sleeve width increased by 50 stitches and each increase row had 2 increases (1 at each side), I knew I needed to fit in 25 increase rows.
• Finally, I added 1 to my 99 shaping rows (just to make my life easier) and divided by the 25 increase rows needed to find that I should work my increases every 4th row.

I'm happy to report that the sleeves did, in fact, come out to the right length, and they fit great. The moral of the story is that sometimes row gauge does matter.

Last year I started knitting a Ballband Dishcloth and quickly discovered that the edges come out a little funky. In order to neaten them up a bit, I decided to work a slip-stitch selvedge. Then I figured out how to handle changing colors and carrying the color not in use up the side.

After much experimentation, here is my method for making pretty edges:

• Cast on two extra stitches (one for each edge). For the regular dishcloth, this means casting on 47 stitches instead of 45. To make a different width, just make sure to cast on a multiple of six plus five. Don't forget that the stitch at each edge is outside the pattern as written.
• On every row regardless of whether it is a purl row or a knit row, slip the first stitch as if to purl with the yarn in front and knit the last stitch. I was surprised to find there are numerous ways to create a slip-stitch selvedge, but I think this is the simplest to remember and the easiest to do.
• When changing colors, work the last row of the old color up to the last stitch. Bring the yarn to the front (to the wrong side of the work) and drop it. Pick the new color up from under the old color taking it over the old color and between the needles to knit the last stitch. Since the edge stitches are only worked on every other row, this step is necessary to keep them lined up with rows of the same color.

Although I developed this method for the Ballband Dishcloth, it could be adapted for any narrow stripe pattern where the edges need to look pretty.

Last summer I had been thinking of making some coasters when I happened to watch the episode of Knitty Gritty which featured the pattern for these.

Pattern:
It's so Mod: Coasters by Iris Schreier.

Yarn:
Lily Sugar'n Cream in Summer Splash.

Needles:
US size 7 (4.5 mm) circular (Denise).

Hook:
US size G (4.25 mm) aluminum (Boye). Used for a crochet cast-on.

Modifications:
Since the cast-on forms the entire outside edge of the coaster, I decided to go with a crochet cast-on for a nice, neat look. Once all the triangles are complete, the pattern calls for a 3-needle bind-off to attach the last triangle to the first. I thought this made too obvious of a seam so I grafted them together in garter stitch instead. As a finishing touch, I took the beginning yarn tail, untied the initial slip knot, and sewed a couple extra chains in place to connect the beginning of the crochet cast-on with the end.

Notes:
I love how the modular wedges and the garter stitch work with variegated yarn in this pattern. My only reservation is that, at least in my case, the first triangle always turned out a little bit bigger than the rest so my coasters are slightly lopsided.

Ever since I made my first bookscarf and wrote up the pattern for it, I have wanted to make more for myself. Early last year I finally got around to creating a complete set with colors from each of the four houses.

Pattern:
My own Harry Potter Bookscarf.

Yarn:
DMC Pearl Cotton (size 5) in Gryffindor colors 815 (red) and 976 (gold), Ravenclaw colors 336 (blue) and 415 (silver), Slytherin colors 890 (green) and 415 (silver), Hufflepuff colors 725 (yellow) and 310 (black).

Needles:
US size 0 (2.0 mm) set of 5 double-pointed (Susan Bates Silvalume).

Hook:
US size 8 (1.5 mm) steel (Boye). Used for the provisional cast-on and for adding fringe, this was the closest size I had to my needle size without going over.

Modifications: (Yes, even though it's my own pattern!)
The original pattern begins with a provisional cast-on and closes both ends with 3-needle bind-off. When I re-wrote and expanded the pattern for Alison Hansel's Charmed Knits, I decided those steps weren't really necessary because the fringe does a perfectly good job of closing up the ends on its own. In this case, the Gryffindor bookscarf was done the original way since the pattern was actually created from it. The Ravenclaw bookscarf was made according to the revised pattern as a simple tube without a special cast-on or bind-off. For the Slytherin and Hufflepuff bookscarves, I returned to the old way. The difference in appearance is nearly undetectable, but I think that the extra steps make attaching the fringe much easier.

Notes:
If I were to make another Gryffindor bookscarf, I would use the slightly lighter and brighter color 783 for the gold. In anticipation of eventually making a Ravenclaw bookscarf with colors in accordance with the books instead of the movies, I've chosen 796 for the blue and 976 for the bronze.

Happy Birthday to my blog -- it's three years old today! (I've decided this doesn't really count as an anniversary since my blog and I are just now trying to reconcile after a lengthy separation.)

The next project I'm about to cast on for is Arisaig by Ysolda Teague. I'll be making it with Alpaca Ware's Superfine Alpaca Yarn which was given to me for Christmas back in 2005. The needles recommended for the lace portion are US size 2 (2.75 mm). At the time that I settled on this pattern, I only had dpns in the smaller sizes. I figured I could easily knit a swatch on those, and then I would simply buy longer needles once I knew what size would work for me. On the first try, I got gauge with my Susan Bates 2.75 mm double point needles. Of course, when I visit my LYS, all they have are slightly smaller 2.5 mm or slightly larger 3 mm sizes. I decided to splurge and buy a 32 inch circular in both sizes of the Addi Turbo Lace needles. Luckily, I was still able to get gauge with the smaller 2.5 mm size.

(In case you were wondering, those blocking wires are my size 000 double point needles.)

As the third anniversary of my blog approaches, I've decided to give this whole blogging thing another try. (Although, I don't know if it actually counts as my third anniversary when I haven't posted most of the past year!)

I'm currently working on Jenna Adorno's Curvalicious Cardigan from Big Girl Knits. I just finished the attached i-cord around the front edges and hood.

The body is worked seamlessly in one piece and begins with an i-cord cast-on. In other words, you make a long strip of i-cord and pick up stitches all along the length of it.

Since I knew I would want the i-cord on the bottom edge to appear continuous with the i-cord along the front edges, I began the initial strip of i-cord with a provisional cast-on and put the last three stitches on hold leaving live stitches at both ends. Once the rest of the sweater was complete, the front edges were done by purling up stitches starting at the bottom of the left front edge, continuing around the hood, and ending at the bottom of the right front edge. Normally you would then need to cast on three stitches, but I just put the held stitches from the end of the i-cord cast-on onto a double point needle, knit across them, and began the attached i-cord from there. When I had worked all my picked up stitches and was back to the bottom left corner, I released the stitches from the beginning of my i-cord cast-on and grafted them to the last three stitches of the attached i-cord.

Now I just need to weave in the yarn ends, find a zipper, and sew it in place.

I cut the sleeves off a tee and replaced them with long, crocheted mesh versions.

Pattern:
Based on the Crochet-Sleeved Tee by Joy Prescott from the September 2006 issue of Crochet! magazine.

Yarn:
DMC Traditions (size 10 crochet cotton) in ecru.

Hook:
Size B/1 (2.25 mm) aluminum (Boye).

Modifications:
The original pattern was designed for a regular drop-sleeve t-shirt so the crochet sleeves are simple tubes worked from the shoulder to the wrist, finished with an edging at the cuff. My t-shirt had set-in sleeves so I worked my sleeves in the round from the wrist to the upper arm and then began working back and forth to shape the sleeve caps. After the sleeve cap was complete, I worked single crochet all the way around the armhole opening to give myself an even, stable edge to sew into the t-shirt. Finally, I went back to the cuff and worked the edging into the opposite side of my foundation chain.

For the neck and bottom edgings, you were suppose to cut the neck band and hem off the t-shirt and work the first round of single crochet directly into the fabric by punching holes with a size 7 (1.65 mm) steel crochet hook. Well, I tried this at the bottom edge, but I guess the material of my t-shirt was too thick because it simply didn't work. Instead, I worked the edgings separately and sewed them in place. Since I had already cut the bottom edge off the t-shirt, I folded it under and hemmed it back up as I sewed on the edging. Luckily I hadn't cut the neck of the t-shirt yet so I just sewed its edging right onto the finished neck opening.

I also changed the edging itself. It was suppose to end in triangular points, but I didn't like the saw-toothed look. I skipped the picots which formed the points and produced gentle scallops instead.

Other Notes:
In order to figure out how to shape my sleeve cap, I took one of my cut off sleeves and traced its shape onto some graph paper. Then I filled in the outline with crochet symbols according to my stitch and row gauge, using the one inch squares of the graph paper to guide me. To create the smoothest possible slope, I changed the slope-side leg of my V-stitches (dc, ch 1, dc in the same ch sp) from double crochets to half-double crochets.

At first, I was a little bit concerned that the switch from working in the round to working back and forth for the sleeve cap would be noticeable, since the back of the stitches look slightly different than the front. I briefly considered changing direction at the beginning of each round so it would be the same as working flat. In the end, I decided that the difference would be pretty hard to detect in the crochet thread and wasn't worth worrying about. As it turned out, I was right. If you really look closely, you can see a slight change in texture. Of course, no one but me should ever be looking that closely!

When I was nearly to the elbow on my first sleeve, I noticed it was getting just a little bit narrower. I assumed it was my gauge tightening up as I got more into the rhythm of things and that I would have to make an effort to repeat the effect. Fortunately, for whatever reason, I managed to do the same thing on the second sleeve without even trying.

After cutting off the hem and then sewing it up again, the shirt is just ever so slightly shorter than I would prefer. If only I had known that crocheting directly into the fabric wouldn't work, I would have just sewn the edge to the original hem.

Eventually, I would like to find some pretty beads to attach to the ends of the front ties. This will have the added benefit of helping them hang straighter. Right now they spiral a bit.

Final Thoughts:
This was a great way to turn a t-shirt I wasn't wearing anymore into a favorite again. It was also really nice to return to crochet after many years. It has a different rhythm which I didn't realize I was missing since I've only been knitting.

Shown here are the back and fronts of my Cambridge Jacket -- complete, attached at the shoulders, and blocking. The only modification made at this point was to shape the shoulders with short rows in order to work a three-needle bind-off at the shoulder seams. This is my preferred method because it produces a neat-looking, strong seam which is less bulky than two separately bound-off edges sewn together. Plus, I'm always partial to techniques that involve knitting rather than sewing.